JEDDAH SUPER DOME

SEP 2020 - THE OPEN FRAMEWORK. WILL BE THE WORLD'S LARGEST DOME.

IT IS FREESTANDING WITH NO INTERNAL SUPPORT COLUMNS.

OCT 2020 - PANELS BEING INSTALLED. ITS DIAMETER IS 210 METERS.

NOV 2020 - IT WILL BE AN EXHIBITION CENTER & SITE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.

JAN 2021 - LOCATED IN NORTH JEDDAH NEAR THE SPORTS CITY

MAR 2021 - JEDDAH SUPER DOME IS NEARING COMPLETION.

 

Jeddah Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Here in Saudi Arabia, an issue that used to be swept under the carpet is now front and center to educate women about it.  The familiar pink ribbon is prominently on display in many businesses that ater to female clientele here in Jeddah.  

With 55% of cases diagnosed here in the late stage of the disease, breast cancer is the #1 leading cause of death in Saudi women.  Another problem is that studies show that breast cancer tends to affect younger Saudi women at higher rates than it does in females from Western countries. Therefore education and early detection ares of the utmost importance. 

This year's campaign in the kingdom is promoting online workshops and lectures featuring surviving women who have had first hand experience with the disease as well as health care professionals sharing their knowledge. There are also some events being held and promotional materials displayed in malls and on billboards.   

THIS POST LINKS TO - SIGNS    

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY   

Girls' Formal Dress Shop

The store windows of this little girls' dress shop caught my eye.  I liked the colors and the fanciful Asian theme.  These dresses might be worn for holidays or weddings or other more formal events.  

There is no shortage of shops like these here in Jeddah and the competition is steep.  There are always more formal events to attend and little girls here generally have quite an array of formal attire.  

 

Jeddah Wedding Venues

Wedding halls can be found all over Jeddah in every neighborhood. Many are quite elegant - fancy schmancy.  Because of strict gender segregation customs in the past, weddings are usually separate events for men and women.  Slowly some families are opting for mixed weddings, but it's still not the norm.

Many times the bride's event is held on a different date and different venue than the groom's event.  On occasion, they might be held on the same night at the same location at a wedding hall that offers separated entrances and separated ballrooms, as seen in the photo below.

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.  

This post is linked to My Corner of the World. Do check out the other posts from bloggers from all over the world. 

The Coffee Server - in Jeddah

At all functions and events I have attended here in Saudi Arabia, there are always beautifully tailored, traditionally dressed men offering Arabic coffee to guests.  The Arabic coffee is called gahwa and the man serving it is called "gahwa jee." This was at an art event I attended a few years ago.

This post is linked to My Corner of the World. Do check out the other posts from bloggers from all over the world.

Jeddah Art Festival Display

Because we are still isolating due to the virus, I am going through my old photos, since I am not out and about taking photos. Today's pick is of an artist's entry in Jeddah Art Week in February of 2014.  It was like a small room that was totally decorated from floor to ceiling in bold geometric designs and a multitude of bright colors.  Pretty cool. huh?

While I was there, a group of delightful young Saudi women came along and asked me to be in a photo with them. Of course, I obliged. 

Basta Market in January

Bastah Market - a local Jeddah seasonal market that assists new businesses get off the ground.  

CDP Theme Day - Jeddah Pre-School

Before this whole coronavirus pandemic affected the whole world, I was fortunate to attend the International Day event at Bear Hugs Preschool here in Jeddah.  Bear Hugs has been in operation in the Al Hamra District of Jeddah since 2003 and has a very diverse international staff as well as students.

The staff and students obviously put a lot of effort and thought into making this event the roaring success that it was.  Each class had adopted a country to learn about, and the students dressed up in costumes representing each country.

In the school's lovely outdoor courtyard area, each class had prepared a space showing facts, traditions, and clothing from each country represented.

The adorable students were rightfully proud of what they had learned.  Dozens of moms attended the standing room only event.  The festivities were kicked off with a parade of the preschoolers (ages 2-6) wearing their costumes and waving flags as they made their way through the packed courtyard.

The parade was followed by a show with the students singing and performing for the beaming moms in the audience.  I was very impressed with the upbeat and happy school, its administrators, teachers, and students.  It was a lovely morning and I'm very happy to have been invited to see the school and attend this fun colorful celebration.

City Daily Photo is an online community of photo bloggers that share images of life in their cities around the world.  The first of every month is Theme Day  for City Daily Photo bloggers.  This month's theme is "School."  Be sure  to visit the City Daily Photo portal to view other participants' entries for today's theme day.

Saudi Special Event Bling

Bling bling! Here are some more fancy clutch purses and an elegant rhinestone embellished evening dress that would be worn to a Saudi wedding event.

I'm pretty sure most of these items are imported to Saudi Arabia from either India or Pakistan.  Perfect for the holidays too!

Saudi Arabia Fancy Purses

These purses won't hold much more than a lipstick and keys, and a few might even fit in a mobile phone, but they are intended to be mere accessories to complete an outfit. 

They are perfect accessories for a fancy wedding here in Saudi Arabia - lots of over the top bling, large gawdy stones and rhinestones. 

I believe most of these clutches are from India or Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia Fancy Female Footwear

Saudi women are very fashionable and elegant.  Whether entertaining guests at home or attending a lavish wedding, Saudi women are the epitome of elegance and grace.  This post shows some fancy footwear worn by Saudi women for fancy occasions.

The shoes shown here are not actually that over the top expensive. They cost about 150 Saudi riyals, which converts to about $40 US. I believe they are made in India or Pakistan.

Jeddah Wedding Fashions

These types of fancy dresses are worn at female only events, like gender segregated weddings.  Saudi women would never wear clothing exposing so much skin in front of men who are not related to them.

All the Saudi weddings I have attended have been the most elegant affairs, each one outdoing the one before - the glitz, the glamour, the flowers, the food.

What? Halloween in Saudi Arabia? You Bet!

I've been to a few Halloween parties in Saudi Arabia over the years, which are generally attended by the expat community.

This year's party was at a friend's lovely home, and the decorations were pretty amazing.  Our hostess does have four kids and she said she has collected more decorations with each passing year.

From spiders and webs, to pumpkins and candles, to skulls and skeletons - the decorations were fun and plentiful.

Hope you all had a Spooktacular Halloween!

Jeddah Purple Wedding

When I saw that City Daily Photo's monthly theme for May was "Purple," my thoughts immediately went to an amazing wedding I attended on Valentine's Day here in Jeddah. The entire ballroom was awash in shades of purple - purple lighting, purple flowers, purple decorations.  

I wrote about this magnificent event and posted many more photos on my other blog, Susie of Arabia. Have a look! Photos of Saudi weddings are rarely seen or posted on public forums.

City Daily Photo is an online community of photo bloggers that share images of life in their cities around the world.  The first of every month is Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers.  This month's theme is "Purple."  Be sure to visit the City Daily Photo portal to view other participants' entries for today's theme day.

Saudi Arabia - Yanbu Flower Festival Still Going On

We aren't going to the Yanbu Flower Festival this year, but I just wanted to remind everyone that it's still going on now through the end of March.  If you have never been before, it's definitely worth attending.  It's a very well organized event, and every year they change it up a bit.

The splashes of color all over are a happy treat for the soul.  Admission is free for everyone. Food and drinks are available for purchase, as well as souvenirs and gardening supplies.  Hotel prices in Yanbu are reasonable and there are many places to stay, even on the more crowded weekends.  There are only two weekends left - don't miss it.